Page 172 of Return Policy
As I climb the stairs to Sophia’s room, I take deep breaths to calm my anxious nerves. Then I knock softly.
“Come in,” Sophia bellows.
I push the door open, and she turns around from her closet, lips curving upward when she sees me. She tosses a jacket onto an open suitcase and runs over, catapulting herself into my arms.
I chuckle, holding her frame close to me. “Nice to see you too, baby.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Missed you.” I walk us toward her bed and lower myself onto the edge. Her legs and arms are wrapped around me, and she hugs tighter.
“I missed you too,” she says, her voice cracking on the last word.
Pulling away, I take in her worn face and know I made the right decision to come. Even if I have to leave at seven in the morning to make it back for tomorrow’s practice. “How was your day?”
I scoot back on the bed, and we lean against pillows, facing one another. “It was…” She blows out a heavy breath. “A lot.”
Reaching out, I tuck a hair behind her ear before resting my hand on her face. “Did the session with Janine go okay?”
“Yeah…” She smiles weakly. “I think it helped.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“It was also really overwhelming.” She frowns, and I notice the dark circles under her eyes.
“Anything you want to talk about?”
She nibbles on her lower lip and shakes her head. “Not yet.”
“Okay… well, I’m here when you’re ready.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me.” I take her hand in mine and press soft kisses on her knuckles. “I’ll always be here for you.”
“Thank—” I raise my eyebrows. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Sunflower.” Leaning forward, I kiss her gently. “You seem tired. You should get some rest.”
“But you just got here.” She juts her lower lip out, looking pouty and adorable.
“I know, and now you can sleep peacefully.”
“Itwouldbe nice to sleep for more than an hour at a time.”
My eyes wander toward her bookshelf, scanning it, hoping to find—yep, there it is. I roll off the bed and before Sophia can protest, I’ve already grabbed the book and slid back under the covers.
“Come here, baby.” I position myself against the pillows and gesture for Sophia to join me. Her mouth curves upwards when she sees what’s in my hands, and she crawls under the blanket, curling herself into my side. She rests her head on my chest, and I brush her hair down.
“I haven’t read this in forever.”
“Do you want to read it yourself?”
She shakes her head against me. “No, you read it. Please.”
With my arms around her, I bring the book in front of us, flipping to the first page.
“Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank and of having nothing to do. Once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it—”
